Press Release Clearing #2 - Burcher Re-Ups with FCM

Ward 5 Councillor (and recent "Better Know a Ward" profilee) Lise Burcher was re-elected to another term on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors. Attached is the press release from the FCM:

Guelph City Councillor Re-Appointed to National Green Council
Lise Burcher one of five Canadian municipal officials to serve on FCM’s Green Municipal Funds Council.

GUELPH, ON, June 9, 2010 – City of Guelph Councilor Lise Burcher was re-elected for a fourth term to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Board of Directors at the May annual general meeting in Toronto. FCM has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901 representing the interests of municipalities on policy and program matters that fall within federal jurisdiction.

The FCM Board of Directors is composed of sixteen elected municipal officials in Ontario and a total of seventy one directors across Canada. FCM membership constitutes 1,775 community members representing over 90% of the Canadian population. Its membership represents all regions and scales of community from the very smallest rural villages to Canada’s largest cities.

Councillor Burcher is a very active member in the organization and has taken on a number of leadership roles in addition to her board responsibilities, including serving as a Green Municipal Fund Council (GMF) member. The GMF is one of five councils across the country and she serves as the chair of the GMF’s audit committee. This committee administers $550 million in funds to support municipalities to undertake projects and plans that demonstrate innovation in sustainability.

She was one of several board members that initiated the development of a national municipal policy platform presented to the COP 15 climate change discussions n Copenhagen in December 2009. Councilor Burcher was also appointed to serve as FCM’s international representative for Latin America and the Caribbean; and showcased Guelph’s innovative Community Energy Initiative and its progressive community engagement strategies at the UN Habitat’s World Urban Forum in March of this year.

“It is an honour to be supported by my colleagues throughout Ontario in my bid for re-election to the Board,” stated Burcher. “I look forward to contributing further to the valuable work of this outstanding organization.”

Councillor Burcher was first elected to Guelph City Council in 2003. She represents Ward 5.

About the Green Municipal Fund
FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) provides loans and grants, builds capacity, and shares knowledge to support municipal governments and their partners in developing communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

About the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901. With more than 1,750 members, FCM represents the interests of municipalities on policy and program matters that fall within federal jurisdiction. Members include Canada's largest cities, small urban and rural communities, and 18 provincial and territorial municipal associations.